The Gamer's Bill of Rights Unveiled, Demands PC Gamers Not Be Treated as 'Potential Criminals'

BOOM widget 119173In an effort to create standards for PC games and increase consumer confidence, publisher Stardock and Demigod developer Gas Powered Games today unveiled a document titled "The Gamer's Bill of Rights."

"As an industry, we need to begin setting some basic, common sense standards that reward PC gamers for purchasing our games," explained Stardock CEO Brad Wardell. "On the PC, publishers can release games that are scarcely completed, poorly supported, and full of intrusive copy protection."

The Gamer's Bill of RightsWe the Gamers of the world, in order to ensure a more enjoyable experience, establish equality between players and publishers, and promote the general welfare of our industry hereby call for the following:

Gamers shall have the right to return games that don't work with their computers for a full refund.

Gamers shall have the right to demand that games be released in a finished state.

Gamers shall have the right to expect meaningful updates after a game's release.

Gamers shall have the right to demand that download managers and updaters not force themselves to run or be forced to load in order to play a game.

Gamers shall have the right to expect that the minimum requirements for a game will mean that the game will adequately play on that computer.

Gamers shall have the right to expect that games won't install hidden drivers or other potentially harmful software without their express consent.

Gamers shall have the right to re-download the latest versions of the games they own at any time.

Gamers shall have the right to not be treated as potential criminals by developers or publishers.

Gamers shall have the right to demand that a single-player game not force them to be connected to the Internet every time they wish to play.

Gamers shall have the right that games which are installed to the hard drive shall not require a CD/DVD to remain in the drive to play.